Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-07
HOW 10 ADDRESS THE PRESIDENT.
Simply, The Pre- sident,' and Not His Elk
cellency, or Even nn honorable.
pnllaGelphta Times

Philadelphia Times.
Ii is scarcely credible in this land of
intelligence that hardly enc person in
hundred writing to tae President en-
ploys his proper form Of address. OF the
So. 900, 00o OF people in the United States
who know now 20 write, it is safe to say
that not one in thousand can super
scribe a letter to their chief executive
correctly. "His EXcellenCy" is the ia
yorite title used among educated and cul-
tivated persons and politicians. This Ii
tie is authorized in some states as appi-
cable TO the Grief executive OF their sub
ordinate sovereignties of the nation, and
is alwsys q safe form of address of q d.
plomatic minister, irrespective OF ma
tionality.
Another improper form commonly used
is "honorable." The title "ho.: Orable"
is subordinate one, and the lowest in
the scale of titles Of rank in foreign coun-
tries In the United States it is applied
10 elective officers, Senators and Repre-
sentatives, below that of YiCe-President,
or to officials holding Office by appoint
ment from the President and confirmation
by the Senate. 1t also applies to COVER
nor's of states, judges Of courts and
mayors of cities. Its abuse is its pro-
miScuous application to state legislators
and others not in national Office or chief
Office in states Still another improper
address is HPresident' with the name of
the incumbent.
The title of the President was one of
the earliest subjects of controversy, both
in the convention of 1887, among the
trainers of the constitution, and in 1879,
in the first Congress, which established
many of the official and social presidents
which were coincident with the setting in
motion of the machinery of the new gov
eminent. In the constitutional conven-
ton the subject was deliberately dis
cussed. A strong party, charged with
monarchical tendencies, favored some
style of additional title for the CHIEF exec
utive officer of the nation, on the ground
of International as well as ceremonial
considerations. The majority, however,
favored cutting entirely loose from every
appearance of imitation of the forms of
the nations of the old world. This gave
rise to the provision in the constitution
that "no title of nobility shall be granted
by the United States"
The struggles over the fixing of the title
of the President are unique in the light OF
modern views on such subjects. But two
days after the organization OF Congress
and the installation OF John Adams as
Vice President and President Of the Sen
ate that lunctionary gave that body a
vigorous lecture on the necessity and pro-
priety of titles Mr.. Adams, having passed
d long time at the most brilliant courts OF
Europe as Diplomatic Minister had com
pletely outgrown his PuritaniC instincts
of lack Of reverence for established Gus
toms and practices political and religious,
among nations ard men. Having stirred
up the Republican sentiments of the Sen
ate in making his interest in titles known,
he became involved in q preliminary Skin
mish with the House of Representatives
on question of the proper title for him
TO use in addressing an official communi-
cation to their Speaker. Having ssked
whether ne should apply the prefix ''hon-
-orable," the House administered
prompt and decided negative, preferring
the simr'e. unblemisaed official title CT